Oh, and there's some mild references to sex. <*g*>

Jon was at something of a loss as to how to go about the whole seduction-into-lifelong-happiness plan.

Oh, he'd gotten them both to the house, all right... Joanie bundled in a thick blanket against chill winds and prying eyes, her mother hovering over her with that worried, tender expression that always gave him a warm achy feeling inside. He was damn sure that *his* mother had never worn that look. That mixture of love and concern and infinite, gentle patience.

She'd needed the patience, too, in the first week or two. The shock of Joanie's injuries had undone ten years of progress in a single night. Just as she had when she was a baby, she wept almost constantly, her crying punctuated by screaming spells and bouts of hysteria. The only way to keep her calm was, literally, never to put her down. Jon and Jubilee had had to take turns holding her and soothing her, and at night she'd slept in her mother's bed.

On this particular afternoon, though, she'd settled down surprisingly well, and Jon had promptly packed her exhausted mother off for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. Now she was nestled in his arms as he read to her. <*... deserves death? I dare say he does. Many who live deserve death. And some who die deserve life. Can you give it to them?*>

"Gandalf was wise, wasn't he, Unca Jonny?" Jo asked quietly.

<*In a way.*> Jon stroked her hair gently. <*But 'e was impatient, and sometimes 'e asked more from people than they could give.*>

"Like me and Mommy did from Daddy?" she asked seriously.

Jon looked down at her in surprise. <*Wot do you mean?*>

She bit her lip. "Will you promise not to tell Mommy? It'd just upset her."

<*I promise I won't tell her unless I have to, will that do?*>

"Well..." she thought it over. "Okay." Jo cuddled against him, resting her unscarred hand on his chest. "A little while before... before the play..." She stumbled, and then the words came out in a rush. "I saw my daddy."

Jon froze. Then he squeezed her very gently, tipping her little chin up so their eyes met. <*What do you mean, you saw your daddy?*> he asked quietly, willing himself to stay calm.

"I saw him," she repeated, her hazel eyes cloudy. "We were visiting Aunty Kitty in New York, and she took me and Mommy shopping. It was fun for a while, but then I got bored in the book-store, so Mommy said I could go look at the animals in the pet-store next door. They had puppies out front in a big cage, and I was playing with them..." She took a deep breath. "That's when I saw him. He was walking along with a lady, talking into his celphone. The lady looked bored, and he looked kinda mad. I... he was older, but I recognized him from the pictures of when I was a baby. Before he went away."

Jon's mind raced. As far as he knew, nobody had ever told Jo why her father had ditched his wife and baby daughter to slither off into the sunset. As far as he knew, nobody ever even talked about him. The odds of her running into him by sheer coincidence had been so vanishingly slim that it had never even been considered. <*Wot did you do then, luv?*> he asked as calmly as if they were talking about the weather.

"I just watched. He talked for a minute, then he turned off the phone and he and the lady went away." Jo's voice wavered slightly. "He didn't even see me."

Jon stroked her short cap of hair, trying not to regret that he hadn't hunted Mark Hu down and killed him years ago. <*How'd that make you feel, 'en?*>

"That was the weird part." She snuggled against him, tucking her head closer under his hand. "I didn't feel anything. It was like... I didn't know him. He wasn't important."

<*Well...*> His mind raced. <*You've never met 'im, really...*>

Jo lifted her head to look at him. "I just... didn't care about him." She heaved a small sigh. "I wish you were my daddy, Unca Jonny."

Jon blinked. The little lump of psionic energy where his heart used to be turned over. <*...You do?*> he whispered.

"Uh-huh," she agreed matter-of-factly. "I've always wished that you were my daddy." Wide, guileless hazel eyes met his.

Jon closed his eyes, sudden heat pressing against them. Every rare, precious daydream he'd let himself conjure up since they'd left the hospital was suddenly surpassed by reality. He loved Jo as if she was his own child, she *was* his own child in every way that mattered, but to hear her say this... <*I wish I was too, baby,*> he murmured, cupping her small chin in his palm. He'd been working on this on her mother's behalf, but it worked here too.

Here was even better, in a way...

Very gently, he kissed her forehead. "But I c-couldn't love you any m-more if I was, J-Joanie," he said quietly. His voice was rough and stuttering, but it was real sound - the first he'd produced in nearly twenty years.

Jo blinked. Then the wide, glowing smile she'd inherited from her mother spread across her small face. "Unca Jonny, you talked!"

He nodded, looking pleased and smug and a little sheepish all at once. <*I ain't very good at it yet, but yeh. I talked. Not bad, eh?*>

She laid a tiny finger against his lips. "And your mouth's all solid."

He smiled, kissing the tip of her finger gently. <*Been working on that too.*>

"*Neat*!" she bounced a little, the dimple popping into her small cheek for the first time in weeks.

He managed a small vocal chuckle. <*Glad y' think so, luv. But don't tell yer mum, okay?*> Sheepish won out over the other two. <*It's kind of a surprise.*>

* * *

Jubilee laid her head on the kitchen table. Then she lifted it up a couple of inches, and thumped it back down. "You," she said aloud to herself, "are suffering from sleep-deprivation. And stress. Lots of stress." She thumped her head on the table again. "Out, damned thoughts."

She'd been having a lot of thoughts lately. Many of them had been along the lines of 'I'm worried about Jo because...' or 'I should do (this) for Jo'. Quite a few of the others, however, had focused on how nice it was to have another adult to share her worries with. How good it was to know that there was someone she could trust with Jo, who loved her every bit as much as Jubilee herself did. How nice it was to have a man around the house... only those thoughts always wandered off in *completely* unacceptable directions that left her somewhere between embarrassed and... flushed.

He was just being so... sweet. He always WAS sweet. Whenever she needed him, he was right there. But now he was being there in a more permanent way, and she liked that. For the first time in years, she felt... secure. Treasured. Loved. By a fellow adult. Better, by a man she'd loved and trusted for a long, long time... and rather more than she'd realised until now.

Because it WAS nice to have a man around again. Now that she thought about it, Jubilee was uncomfortably aware that she hadn't been out on a real date in nearly three years. Lately, she hadn't even been looking. Somehow the guys she met all seemed too... lightweight. Too superficial. (There's not enough black leather and deep brown eyes, her subconscious said, and was promptly squelched.) And while she quite absolutely did not think of Jon in that way, he was still nice to look at, and he hugged very nicely, and those soft brown eyes had a way of looking that...

Jubilee picked up the cordless phone, and punched in a long, complicated number.

"Angelo Espinosa. Too sleepy to say something clever. Talk now or I kill you," the phone said in a groggy voice. "And do you know it's one am?"

"Sorry. Time difference. Say I hypothetically was to find myself thinking about Jon in a more-than-friendly kinda way-"

"He likes silk and satin, preferably light colours, very tactile, likes things that feel nice better than things that look nice, and he's into long hair, which you're lucky, you got. Any other questions?"

"How the hell you know this stuff?"

"Inherited his entire stock of girly magazines when he left the school. That and we talk sometimes. And go out and leer. Guy stuff." Angelo still didn't sound awake, but fortunately that never stopped him from talking. He didn't always make sense, but he talked.

"Oh." Jubilee paused. "You don't sound surprised that I... uh..."

"That you want his bod? That you're in love with him? That you're secretly a seething cauldron of throbbing passion? Nah. Knew all that." He yawned. "Can spot the blindingly obvious a mile away. I'm amazing like that."

Jubilee blushed furiously. "You do not know that I'm a... a seething cauldron of passion!"

"Do too. I even know that you're blushing right now." He yawned again. "Look, your chances are good. Just wear something clingy in satin, and ambush him. Trust your favourite buddy. Can I sleep now?"

"Yeah. Sleep well." Jubilee hung up, still blushing. Seething cauldron? Throbbing passion? What did Angelo the Monogamous Sex Maniac know about throbbing cauldrons? Well, a lot, but he didn't know anything about HERS!

Had she packed her ivory satin nightgown?

Yes, she had.

* * *

During the process of re-forming his mouth, ribs, and chest, Jon had taken a brief side-trip and replaced his lungs. Tonight, he was taking a moment to enjoy them.

Oxygen to Jon was like smoke to a light smoker. He liked a few good lungfuls to get him going in the morning, a puff or three when he was stressed or nervous, and a nice leisurely inhalation last thing at night. Otherwise he tended to forget about it, since all the oxygen did was circulate through his bloodstream a couple of times then get itself exhaled again. His body didn't need it anymore, after all. But it was still... bracing. And relaxing, too.

"How's Jo?" Jubilee asked from behind him.

<*She's fine. Tucked 'er up in me old room with the sail-*> he turned around. <*Boat... wallpaper...*> His brain sputtered to a halt.

She was wearing satin. He *loved* satin. It looked nice, and it felt even better. And this was a pale-gold satin dressing-gown over an ivory satin slip-thing. All floor length and clingy! *And* her hair was all loose and swinging down her back! Innocent, but seductive... He dragged his mind out of the gutter. <*She's sleeping...*> he said weakly.

"Good." Jubilee smiled at him, her thick hair framing her small face delightfully. "Thanks. I never would have gotten through this without you."

He took one of her small hands in both of his. <*You don't have to get through anything without me, you know that. I'll always be here for you.*>

She squeezed his fingers gently. "And I'll always be here for you," she promised gravely. "Nobody in the world means more to me than you do. Even Jo's only running even."

He blinked, finding himself awarded the ultimate accolade... I love you as much as my child. <*You know there's nothing that matters more to me than you and Jo. Nothing. Not life itself.*>

"I know." She smiled again, giving him a decidedly funny feeling inside. "It means a lot to me."

<*Oh, don't thank me. It's all part of a plan,*> he said with as gallant a smile as he could manage. <*I'm buildin' up to bein' allowed t' put my arm around you later.*> It was what he'd said on their first date, more than fifteen years ago.

"That *is* how these things are supposed to go, I understand," she returned softly, looking up at him through her lashes. "If you're really lucky, you might even get to put your hand on my knee." Somehow they were standing quite close together, hands clasped and eyes locked together.

<*Dunno if I can handle that much excitement,*> he murmured, letting his head dip towards hers. <*Might get carried away and try and get you to do something horribly forward...*>

"I thought I was already being horribly forward..." she whispered, eyes bright and soft as the evening sky. "Satin and everything."

Well, that just did it. He'd never had much in the way of self-control anyway... he let go of her hands, cupping her small face gently. Her skin was distractingly soft under his fingers as he drew in a careful breath. "Jubilee..." he whispered, out loud. Then his newly-formed mouth descended carefully onto hers, brushing a delicate kiss over her petal-soft lips.

Jubilee stiffened in surprise even as her hands slid up to cradle the back of his head. "Jon?" she mumured questioningly against his lips as they stroked coaxingly against hers.

"Mm?" His eyes were closed as he lost himself in the sweet, gentle kiss.

"How...mmm...are you doing this?" she asked hazily, pulling him closer. He was a good kisser. A wonderful kisser. A fabulously stupendous kisser. Although she was sort of biased.

Reluctantly, he let the kiss end and rested his forehead against hers. <*Suddenly felt motivated to be able to kiss,*> he sent in the tenderest telepathic tone she'd ever heard. <*Would I be 'orribly forward if I said I love you? In a completely non-platonic and passionate way?*>

Her blue eyes filled with tears, and she burrowed her face into his chest. "No," she said in a tiny muffled voice. "Not if I get to say it too."

If it were possible to die of happiness, he'd have fallen lifeless on the spot. Fortunately for all concerned, it wasn't, and all he did was hug her tightly, stroking that silky hair. "I l-love you." And his still unpracticed voice broke and stammered on the most important word, but it was out and he'd said it and nothing could be better than that.

She wasn't saying anything.

Why wasn't she saying anything?

Puzzled and a little alarmed, he looked down at her as she stood nestled in his arms. "J-Jubilee?"

She lifted her face to his. "Kiss me again first." He did so, and they both wandered off into happy-fuzzy-land for quite some time. Then she looked up at him gravely. "I love you, Jonothon Evan Starsmore. With all my heart." She twined slender arms around his neck and gazed up at him with wide, impish eyes. "Now seduce me, or I'll pout."

* * *

Jon smiled dreamily at the ceiling. Then he realized what he was doing and pulled his face back into a more dignified contemplative expression.

Jubilee was cuddled against his side, her small head on his shoulder and her silky hair curving in a soft loop over his stomach. Slow, even breaths brushed warm air across the new-grown skin of his chest. Warm, velvety skin nestled softly against his. And over and above all physical sensation was the sheer glowing joy of having her there, in his arms.

And the afterglow was nice too.

He'd loved Gayle, but they'd been inexperienced adolescents. He'd thought he loved Paige, but they'd never really gotten anywhere. After that, he'd given up on love, and looked for nothing more than charm and skill in his female companions. He'd never believed that emotional involvement made any big difference. He'd been quite delighted to discover that he was wrong.

The smile sneaked back onto his face and made itself comfortable.

He lay there for a long time, just savouring the unfamiliar feeling of security and contentment. Eventually she stirred, lifting her head to gaze at him with sleep-clouded, wondering eyes. "I thought I might have dreamed you," she whispered.

<*Was afraid to go to sleep in case yer disappeared,*> he returned, cupping her small cheek in his palm. "I love you." His raspy voice was a little steadier this time.

"I love you too," she said softly, nestling her head into his shoulder again. "Very much."

"Good. Marry me." His vocal voice might not have the clarity of his telepathic one, but there were just some things a man liked to say out loud. Eventually. Once the panicking and such were all done.

"'kay." She snuggled down and seemed to prepare to doze off.

<*...'kay? That's it?*> He wriggled out from under her and propped himself up on one elbow to look down at her. <*I make mad passionate love to you-*>

"Twice."

<*-twice, then I lie here for ages waiting f'r you to wake up again-*>

"Only an hour or so, by the clock."

<*-AGES, right, then I say how much I love you-*>

"You just said you loved me, not how much." Her lips were twitching now.

He strugged to keep a grin off his own face. <*I'll much you in a minute, y' little minx. Anyway, I ask you to marry me, something I've never asked anyone EVER, and all I get is 'kay'?!*>

Jubilee gazed up at him with her sweetest, most kittenish expression, and twined the fingers of one hand in his hair. "Jon, I love you with all my heart and soul, and I can't live without you, so yes, yes, *yes* I'll marry you at once and spend the rest of my life in swoony happiness!"

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. <*That's better.*>

She giggled, lips vibrating against his, and wrapped slender arms around his neck. "I should hope so. Just because I mean every word is no excuse for making me say such mush out loud."

He rested his forehead against hers. <*Love you too, sweetheart. Love you so much...*> It was so easy to say. So easy to fold his heart up in a package and slip it into those little hands, knowing that she'd do it no harm. That was the fundamental root of his love for her, he perceived with a sort of distant wonder... trust. Jon knew quite well he had mind-bogglingly big issues around trust and emotional commitment, and knew just as well that Jubilee was the exception to those fears and insecurities. She already knew every painful secret, every sharp-edged memory, and she loved him anyway, and *that* was what made it possible for him to love her. No other woman ever could have done.

Jubilee closed her eyes, cupping his face gently in her hands... and he was stunned to see a small tear trickle down her cheek. <*Jubilee? Love?*>

"Me too," she sniffed, curling closer against him. "What you were thinking. With the... the trust stuff and everything. Me too."

His arms folded automatically around her even as that sank in. <*You could 'ear that?*>

She nodded against his chest. "Uh-huh." Then she took a deep breath, and let it out in a wicked little giggle. "I could hear you...uh... before, too. You know, when you were-"

<*Oh.*> He thought that over for a second. <*Well, that's not fair. You 'eard me but I was too busy t' listen for you.*>

She giggled again, and wriggled invitingly. "You'll have to pay more attention next time."

<*Forget next time, I'm gonna pay attention NOW...*>

The End ;)